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| Chinese Leader Eases Tone in Meeting With Japan Envoy | Chinese Leader Eases Tone in Meeting With Japan Envoy |
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| BEIJING — China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, offered Japan a conciliatory tone during a meeting with a senior Japanese politician Friday, an apparent effort to reduce the escalating tensions between the two countries over islands in the East China Sea. | BEIJING — China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, offered Japan a conciliatory tone during a meeting with a senior Japanese politician Friday, an apparent effort to reduce the escalating tensions between the two countries over islands in the East China Sea. |
| In some of his first remarks on China’s foreign policy since becoming Secretary General of the Communist Party, Mr. Xi told the Japanese lawmaker, Natsuo Yamaguchi, that “the Chinese government remains committed to China-Japan relations,” according to an account provided by China’s Foreign Ministry. | In some of his first remarks on China’s foreign policy since becoming Secretary General of the Communist Party, Mr. Xi told the Japanese lawmaker, Natsuo Yamaguchi, that “the Chinese government remains committed to China-Japan relations,” according to an account provided by China’s Foreign Ministry. |
| Mr. Xi urged both sides to “look at the larger picture,” and “push relations forward,” the Foreign Ministry said, language markedly more restrained than the combative exhortations from defense officials and state-run media since the dispute over the islands erupted four months ago. | Mr. Xi urged both sides to “look at the larger picture,” and “push relations forward,” the Foreign Ministry said, language markedly more restrained than the combative exhortations from defense officials and state-run media since the dispute over the islands erupted four months ago. |
| The encounter between Mr. Xi and Mr. Yamaguchi, in the Great Hall of the People, came after China and Japan have sent surveillance ships to the East China Sea on an almost daily basis in the last several months. Recently, both sides have scrambled fighter jets in what Washington considers a dangerous escalation of the dispute over islands known as the Diaoyu in China, and Senkaku in Japan. | The encounter between Mr. Xi and Mr. Yamaguchi, in the Great Hall of the People, came after China and Japan have sent surveillance ships to the East China Sea on an almost daily basis in the last several months. Recently, both sides have scrambled fighter jets in what Washington considers a dangerous escalation of the dispute over islands known as the Diaoyu in China, and Senkaku in Japan. |
| In their meeting Friday, Mr. Yamaguchi, the head of the junior party in Japan’s new coalition government, delivered a letter to Mr. Xi from Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, that urged high-level talks between Tokyo and Beijing, the Japanese press reported. | In their meeting Friday, Mr. Yamaguchi, the head of the junior party in Japan’s new coalition government, delivered a letter to Mr. Xi from Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, that urged high-level talks between Tokyo and Beijing, the Japanese press reported. |
| In a statement after meeting Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi also expressed moderation. “We would like to improve our future relations,” he said. “We believe Mr. Xi’s intent to seriously consider high-level talks reflects his desire for improved relations.” | In a statement after meeting Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi also expressed moderation. “We would like to improve our future relations,” he said. “We believe Mr. Xi’s intent to seriously consider high-level talks reflects his desire for improved relations.” |
| The New Komeito party, headed by Mr. Yamaguchi, has had longstanding ties with China, and is generally looked upon favorably in China. In the Japanese political context, the party is considered pro-China. Its electoral base comes from a Buddhist organization. | The New Komeito party, headed by Mr. Yamaguchi, has had longstanding ties with China, and is generally looked upon favorably in China. In the Japanese political context, the party is considered pro-China. Its electoral base comes from a Buddhist organization. |
| Mounting nationalism in both countries has fanned the tensions that hark back to the long history of conflict between China and Japan, and bitter memories from World War II, when Japan occupied China. | Mounting nationalism in both countries has fanned the tensions that hark back to the long history of conflict between China and Japan, and bitter memories from World War II, when Japan occupied China. |
| The Obama administration, worried about a collision in the sea or in the air that could lead to confrontation, has asked both sides to cool the situation. At the same time, Washington has made clear that the mutual defense treaty between Japan and the United States covers an attack on the islands, which could lead to American military involvement. | The Obama administration, worried about a collision in the sea or in the air that could lead to confrontation, has asked both sides to cool the situation. At the same time, Washington has made clear that the mutual defense treaty between Japan and the United States covers an attack on the islands, which could lead to American military involvement. |
| In a striking backward glance to the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, Mr. Xi said that “like the older generation of leaders, we should show a sense of national and historical responsibility and political wisdom, overcome the difficulties in bilateral relations and push relations forward.” | In a striking backward glance to the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, Mr. Xi said that “like the older generation of leaders, we should show a sense of national and historical responsibility and political wisdom, overcome the difficulties in bilateral relations and push relations forward.” |
| Mr. Xi was clearly referring to the 1972 milestone in Chinese-Japanese relations when Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai, after talks with his Japanese counterpart, Kakuei Tanaka, said that the two countries should shelve the dispute on the islands to be resolved at another time. Japan has said it never agreed to Mr. Zhou’s proposal. | |
| Indeed, Japan insists that there is no need for negotiations over the sovereignty of the uninhabited islands because from Japan’s point of view the islands belong to Japan. The islands were returned to Japan by the United States in 1972 as part of the agreement that transferred Okinawa to Japan from American administration. | Indeed, Japan insists that there is no need for negotiations over the sovereignty of the uninhabited islands because from Japan’s point of view the islands belong to Japan. The islands were returned to Japan by the United States in 1972 as part of the agreement that transferred Okinawa to Japan from American administration. |
| Before meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi met with an array of senior Chinese officials in Beijing Thursday, including Wang Jiarui, the head of the International Liaison Department of the party’s Central Committee, an important figure in China’s foreign policy making apparatus. Mr. Wang, like Mr. Xi, also suggested putting off resolution of the islands dispute to a later date, the Japanese press reported. | Before meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi met with an array of senior Chinese officials in Beijing Thursday, including Wang Jiarui, the head of the International Liaison Department of the party’s Central Committee, an important figure in China’s foreign policy making apparatus. Mr. Wang, like Mr. Xi, also suggested putting off resolution of the islands dispute to a later date, the Japanese press reported. |
| The dispute over the islands featured in the election campaign of Mr. Abe, who vowed that he would not stand by as China chipped away at Japan’s sovereignty over the islands. | The dispute over the islands featured in the election campaign of Mr. Abe, who vowed that he would not stand by as China chipped away at Japan’s sovereignty over the islands. |
| The conciliatory tone Friday between China and Japan did not necessarily presage an immediate thaw in the dispute. | The conciliatory tone Friday between China and Japan did not necessarily presage an immediate thaw in the dispute. |
| Instead, the new tone appeared to comport with recent remarks by Chinese diplomats that the islands dispute needed to be managed, a stance that contrasts with the barrage of belligerent statements against Japan by Chinese military experts, and the state-run media. | Instead, the new tone appeared to comport with recent remarks by Chinese diplomats that the islands dispute needed to be managed, a stance that contrasts with the barrage of belligerent statements against Japan by Chinese military experts, and the state-run media. |
| China continued this week to make claims to the islands at the United Nations. | |
| In a submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, China argued the islands belong to China based on the geological composition of the continental shelf between the Chinese mainland and the disputed islands. | In a submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, China argued the islands belong to China based on the geological composition of the continental shelf between the Chinese mainland and the disputed islands. |
| The U.N. said it would consider taking up the matter. The Japanese government told the United Nations that the submission should be rejected. | |
Reporting was contributed by Makiko Inoue in Tokyo, and research by Bree Feng in Beijing. | Reporting was contributed by Makiko Inoue in Tokyo, and research was contributed by Bree Feng in Beijing. |